Saving You
by dreamgoddess'92
Summary: After a brutal case that shakes the whole team, Emily tries to stop Hotch from going off the deep end. In the end she runs, he chases her and they end up saving each other.


Hey guys/gals!

So this idea came to me in my English class and I ran with it.

Well to be honest I had started the story a while ago and I was inspired to finish it today!

I do NOT own Criminal Minds (damn!) nor the song "How to Save A Life" by The Fray

Enjoy and please, please review =)  
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"Let him know that you know best,

'Cause after all you do know best.

Try to slip past his defense,

Without granting innocence.

Lay down a list of what is wrong.

The things you've told him all along.

Pray to god he hears you.

And I pray to god he hears you"

"How to Save A Life" -The Fray

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"You ran," his voice echoed in the empty hallway. Emily found that her voice had literally left the building. She was caught off guard and unawares as he spoke once more. "Emily, you ran from me." Aaron Hotchner, her boss of all people, said forcefully trying desperately to snap her out of her current daze. Emily simply continued to stare in awe at the disheveled appearance of her boss as the day's previous events replayed in her head like a projector.

_Previously:_

To say it had been a hard case was a drastic understatement. Their unsub had been a sadistic homicidal social worker with a daddy complex and a hard on for little boys. The team had seen some things that would haunt them until they took their last breath. It got so bad that Emily had to leave a crime scene to vomit. Morgan had to calm down a hysterical Garcia with Reid in the background 'Sshh-ing' her while refusing to look at the monitors in front of his very eyes. JJ left a scene to call Will crying and wanting to hear Henry's coos while Hotch and Rossi seemed dead to the world and detached from the team. No one would forget this case no matter how much they drank or how hard they tried. Such was the fate for the BAU team.

When they finally got managed to get home, Morgan raced to the dungeon and all but carried his baby girl out of there while JJ spared not a moment to get home to her boys. Rossi managed to talk Reid into going to a bar and having a drink or two with him. It had been _that _bad and Rossi didn't think leaving Reid to his own devices was a great idea. Hotch, as usual, barricaded himself in his office while Emily sat down at her desk, the crime scene photos attacking her with each blink of her eyes. She thanked Rossi when he offered to let her join him and Reid and brushed off Reid's concerned stare when she politely refused. "I'll be fine. Alcohol is the last thing I need right now. I might not know how to stop," she admitted and smiled as Reid gently grasped her shoulder and turned to follow the older profiler out the office.

Soon the office consisted of only two workaholic profilers who didn't want to face an empty house. Emily, knowing that out of the two of them that Hotch was suffering the most, decided to bite the bullet and approach her distressed boss in his den of solitude. Ever since Foyet, Hotch saw Jack's face on every child victim and it was wearing him down. It didn't take a genius to see it. It was affecting the whole team, something had to be done. Sighing, Emily gathered her strength and slowly made her way to Hotch's office. Without knocking, she didn't think now called for courtesy, Emily entered his office and watched as Hotch stopped his pacing. "I thought I told you to go home?" Hotch said quietly. Emily knew she was swimming in dangerous waters by the tone of his voice and the set of his body. He was a ticking bomb waiting to go off. 'This will be fun,' Emily thought and began to brace herself for the possible backlash her words would-without a doubt-create.

"You should take your own advice," she replied hiding the shiver that went up her spine as his dark eyes flashed to hers. "It hadn't been a suggestion. It was an order," he replied coldly, narrowing his eyes at her. Anger flared up in Emily as she realized this was not going to be accomplished by going easy on him. She took a defiant step forward. "Pulling rank on me Agent Hotchner?" she asked meeting his dead stare. She could've sworn the temperature had dropped a couple degrees from Hotch's icy demeanor. "Yes Agent Prentiss. Go home," he snapped at her. 'You wanna fight? We'll fight." Emily thought as she took another strong step towards him. "Sorry sir, no can do. Not unless you go home as well," she replied ignoring the way he clenched his fist. "I refuse to play this game with you Prentiss." Hotch said mentally willing her out of his office.

"Fine. Get your coat, leave your files and get the hell out of here." Emily said smirking at how his eyes widened at her audacity. There was no way she was backing down when he so desperately needed his ass kicked. "You're out of line Agent Prentiss." Hotch said, his voice turned sharp like cold needles that pricked her skin. Emily was feed up. "Oh yeah? Well you're breaking Agent Hotchner and I'll be dammed if i don't try and stop you from destroying yourself." Emily snapped back at him taking yet another step closer to him. "You don't know what you're talking about," he scoffed trying to keep his anger in check. Emily laughed. It was short, disbelieving and managed to get Hotch's full attention. "Really? Have you taken a good look around lately Hotch? Have you not noticed the concerned looks everyone of your team members have been giving you the past few weeks? You're giving up!" Emily slammed her fist on his desk, which admittedly hurt a bit. She stood so close to him now that she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

Hotch's eyes darkened. "Giving up? Is that what you call this?" he demanded gesturing to the few scattered files about Foyet that seemed to live on his desk. Emily stepped back, but not in fear. It was time to switch tactics. "Hotch, you rushed into a dangerous situation with no vest and no back up. You have bags under your eyes, which means you're not sleeping enough. Hell I don't recall seeing you go home half the time anymore. You've snapped at us more times than I can count. Not to mention how you almost literally beat the hell out of Jones when we caught him today! You're losing it Hotch. We're all worried about you." Emily's voice feel with her eyes as she looked down at her hands, which were merely centimeters from his.

"You don't understand." Hotch admitted letting her words sink into his overheated skin. She was right of course, but Hotch wasn't ready to admit that he had been spiraling downward. His team counted on him, and here he was feeling sorry for himself and being yelled at by his subordinate. Emily lifted her head and met his eyes. "Then help me understand," she whispered and gently took his hand. Emily was shocked at her answer and her physical response. This was getting too real too fast. Hotch's eyes widened as she spoke again, this time with more resolve. "Help me help you."

Emily would be lying if she didn't admit that she had been concerned about Hotch for more than professional reasons. It was wrong, and risky and not what he needed to deal with. But you can't exactly help what your heart feels. She knew she could ruin everything she had worked for by being with him, but that wasn't what had stopped her for so long. It would ruin his career if they were caught, and she wouldn't be the reason he lost his job. Not on her life. She had quit so he could keep his job, and she'd do it again. Hotch was not unaware of her hand in his, nor the conflicting emotions in her eyes. Little did she know that he was weighing the similar risks.

Here she was, this amazing and at the same time infuriating woman, in his office holding his hand as she tried with all her heart to get past his cold exterior to the man in pain. He just wanted to feel something again. Something not laced with chaos and despair. Emily was caught unawares as Hotch's lips clashed against hers and possessed her with a fierce madness that consumed her very heart and soul. Forgetting herself, Emily threw herself into his strong arms and into their hot kiss that burned with all their pent up passion. Breathing was forgotten as the intense need drove them into a frenzy of moans and carresses. They whispered each other's name as they clung to one another in desperation. It was sweet, it was pure, and it was needed.

But like all good things that our bodies and minds cry out for, sanity comes crashing back and ruins a perfectly imperfect moment. Emily, gathering her wits, gasped and stepped from Hotch's arms; horrified at herself. His door was open, anyone could've walked in and seen them. Hotch watched Emily as her horrified eyes met his and felt his heart break as she turned and raced from his office as if the world around her was burning to a cinder. To Emily she had just done the most irrational thing ever and managed to complicate their lives more than absolutely needed. There were too many variables at play for Emily to fully understand his reasoning for kissing her. Honestly, she was sure he had done it simply to do it-the moment had seized him and he seized her. It hurt Emily to think that it had only been a moment to him when it would be an eternity for her.

Emily went home and did not expect to hear someone pounding on her door a few moments after she had poured herself a glass of wine.

_Present:_

Emily frowned. "Why are you here?" she asked confused. Was he angry at how she responded to his kiss? That could hardly be considered fair, but it was Hotch after all. Hotch stared at her. "Because you ran after we kissed Emily. Last time I checked that's not exactly a good sign when you kiss a girl and she bolts." Hotch replied as if was the most natural explanation in the world. "I didn't know what else to do. My flight instinct just sorta kicked in." Emily replied lamely. "That's a strange way to react to a kiss." Hotch said smiling a little. Emily stared at him, still confused. Was he joking with her? Was he okay with their kiss? What did this mean? Too many questions were buzzing in her head and Emily didn't like it. Everything had made more sense when her feeling for Hotch had been buried deep inside her heart. Kissing him complicated everything. It was his fault too.

Hotch wasn't surprised to see the conflicted emotions present in her eyes once more. After all she wouldn't be Emily if she wasn't weighing the pros and cons of certain situations. It was one of the things he had grown to adore about her. Though, he wasn't to thrilled that she was so hesitant to admit what had happened between them. There was a shift in their relationship and he would let her decide what to do about it. "Emily, I wanted to kiss you. Don't think it was a mistake," he said, deciding to sway her to his side of things. He wanted to peruse this, honestly he did. He had weighed the risks and she always came out in the end. There was no internal debate for Aaron Hotchner. Not this time. Emily's eyes met his and he felt his body relax as he saw the acceptance in her eyes.

She wanted it. She wanted him, and there was nothing she could do to change it. She could've easily fought him off, or even gone out with Rossi and Reid. But she hadn't because he had needed her. He would continue to need her and she would need him. For that moment, as she stared into his deep dark eyes, all the cons to a relationship with Hotch seemed to melt into nothing. Emily smiled and took his hand once more. He would not go home to an empty house tonight. They still had things to talk about, but there were the occasional words unsaid; the silent 'thanks' and 'you're welcomes.' 'We'll figure it out' seemed to float through the air of her apartment. 'This is worth it,' danced in their eyes. Hotch smiled and closed her door behind him and he let her save him. Just one time of the many yet to come.

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Ah, you have no idea how hard I raced to finish this tonight!

I wanted it published tonight! And I did it!!

I really hope you all like it. I wanted it to be a little longer than my other oneshots and have more relationship dynamic between Hotch and Prentiss because, as you all know, I ADORE them.

I can really see something happening with them this season. (or perhaps I'm too optimistic for my own good!)

I have another oneshot, less serious and more funny that I'll try to get up by Wednesday.


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